The Homeland
by Lazy Author with writers block
Summary: When a boy who goes to gain money to save his family from loosing his family store, in a small town out side of terim, He will be pressed with many problems and dangers. Will he live, Will he die? and will he save the family store? Read and find out! HIATUS!(till i re read the series for inspiration, sorry, i have a plan, but i don't remember alot of the story ATM, sorry.)
1. Chapter 1

**Note the ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Separate the chapter and the prologue, so I'm just stating this to avoid confusion. Enjoy, and the **_**'italics'**_** is the narrator, it will only be in this chapter.**

Prologue

Running. A woman was riding upon her snow white steed with her companion in the middle of the forest at night. She was dressed, oddly enough, in full leather armor, which was black as the night. She wore her hood up and as she rode the wind blew it down. When her hood was blown down, it revealed a beautiful woman. The woman had angular features, she had round almond eyes, and her hair was a shade between dirty blonde and light brown. Her ears revealed she was an elf.

As she rode, her companion was shot in the back of the neck with an arrow and she screamed." Therein!" she said as she rode quicker, riding from her pursuer. Her horse was shot in the bottom right flank and her horse fell and she tumbled another 2 yards, clutching her satchel using her body as a shield. As she saw her pursuer she slowly staggered up. The pursuer said a word in a peculiar language as a ring of flames surrounded them. The light from the Flames revealed his face. His face was pale and his eyes were sunken, lively, but also dead, his hair was long and fiery red. The woman look Terrified, yet determined when she saw his face." Durza..." She said as he smiled" Give me the stone, and I may let you live." He said as his smile became a sadistic smirk. "Never, and if you can find the stone, feel free to die trying to take it!" she spat as she pulled out a blue stone, about the size of a cannon ball and she spoke words in the same language as the man, Durza, had. The stone shone brightly and a bright white light was released and it caused the woman to fall and become unconscious, and the stone was gone.

"Tsk blasted Elf. Now that you sent the egg away, I can't kill you. You got lucky." He spoke angrily as he grabbed her by the hair and tossed her on the back of his horse, which was darker then night, and rode back from whence they came.

'it is rather funny how this single moment, changed fate, and ended up with the death of a monster, but at great loss, but, it lead to the greatest of boons for alagaesia….And now, the true story begins'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 1~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

20 years after Galbatorixs death

A boy about 16 was in was in town bargaining the price down to get his throwing knives repaired and his blade sharpened, for five crown and offering fresh turnips. The boy wore a tan buck skin coat and had a scabbard at his waist with a hand and a half sword that's crudely made. The boy had Jet black hair, and Piercing steel blue eyes and he had a small scar on his cheek." Issan, Come on, you have known me for years, can't you lower it from twelve crowns (if I'm wrong on the currency, please say so via review or PM) to five crowns and four fresh turnips? Heck, I'll even get you some meat as more incentive!" The boy said said as the black smith scratched his beard. "So for five Crowns, four turnips, and some fresh meat, all to repair your half-dozen throwing knives, and sharpen your sword? That's a mighty good offer, especially sense I broke my hunting bow not too long ago." He nodded his head." Damien, you my friend have a deal." The smith said as he smiled a toothy grin." Let me see your knives and swords, I'll get them back to you tomorrow." Issan said, and Damien Complied and hand over his knives and his sword." Thank you Issan." He said as he turned and ran out of the smithery and heads towards a small building across town.

He enters the building and sees his father trying to move some of the bags of turnips, lettuce, potatoes, and flour to the cellar. "Hey! Good timing, help your father out!" his father said as Damien grabbed a bag of flour and slung it on his shoulder and carried it one armed to the cellar. "So father," Damien said as he opened the hatch to the cellar." I got a good deal on the repair of my hunting stuff, four turnips, five crowns, and some fresh meat from my next kill." He said as he set the flour down on the floor towards the wall and goes back up to grab another bag. His father sighed." Better than the last time I suppose..." His father replies and grabs a bag and moves it down to the cellar.

An hour later, they finally get done moving the extra bags to the cellar and Damien sits down on a small chair." Damien." The father said and he looked up." Yes Father?" Damien asked as his father sat in a chair beside him. " When you go hunting tomorrow, I need you to bring back as much game as possible, have your friend Maxwell assist you in carrying the game home. Were low on money and if we don't start selling meat to the butcher, we might end up selling the store." His father said and Damien smiles." Father, I have a plan in order to get us money; I noticed we had less customers, the last month or 2. So when Maxwell went to Terim for a few weeks, I asked him to tell me of any tournaments. When he came back two days ago, he informed me that there was a tournament being held there for a chance to win one thousand Crowns, and a Chance to become a rider! Even if I lose, there's a hundred crown Consolation prize rank win, and there is a total of ten different ranks!" Damien said and his father shook his head." Damien, I won't let you enter if that's your plan. Unless you come in at least, 3rd place, it would not get us enough money to keep the shop. So unless you think you are strong enough to defeat at six opponents in a day, after you get through the qualifiers, then you can if your mother approves, but I will tell you this, there will be strong enemies who want to be a rider, so you will have to be careful." His father said and Damien smiled." Of course I will be careful." He said while he yawned." I'm always Careful." He said, the last note sounded sarcastically.

His father said as looked out the window and saw it was becoming dusk." Okay Damien, let's get back home." His father said as Damien nodded yawning. Damien began to walk towards the west gate of the small town as Maxwell waves at him." Hey Damien! How was your day?" Maxwell asked and I shrugged. "Not good, woke up late, hunting knives broke, and I get the feeling from my dad he would prefer if I did not go to the tournament in Terim." Damien said as Maxwell nods." Yeah. So, how is your mother?" Maxwell asked and Damien shrugged and replied." She's fine, she is happy with her job at the stables." Damien said and he yawned." Well I'm going to go home. Good bye Maxwell." Damien began the walk towards his house.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Damien saw his house as he walked and smiled." Home sweet home." He spoke to himself as he saw his mother sitting on a log talking to his father, who must have passed him while he spoke with Maxwell." Hey Mother." Damien said as she looked at him and sighed. "The answer is no Damien. I won't let you enter the tournament. You will be killed!" She spoke as his father nodded." You heard her, she said no, and we both know, we get on her bad side, she might put prune juice in the coffee." He said as Damien shuddered." Mother! If I go and win, we can keep the store! Please mother, me and Father have to go to Terim anyways because my coat is ripped and the needles we have got misplaced!" he said as his father nodded. "That's true, and while he's there he could enter…" His father said as his mother glared and Damien added." Even if I do get injured, there is a rumor that a rider would be present along with magicians to tend the wounded." At this his mother sighed. "Fine you can enter on the one condition." She said and Damien grinned." What is it! I'll do anything!" he said and his mother responded. "Put an order in on some Squash seeds so we can have some squash next fall." She said as Damien nodded. And his mother added. "And tomorrow, you bring back enough meat that we can sell half to the butcher, and the other half have smoked or salted so we can have that here to eat." At this Damien's grin became a look of shock." T-that will be difficult, but I can try…" Damien said as his mother nods. "If you do that, then you can go, as long as you come home alive." She spoke as she went inside to check on dinner.

After dinner was eaten, Damien's mother and father retired to bed, and he went outside and gazed at the stars." It's always more beautiful, in the midst of shadows." He said as he stood up and sighed." I guess I'm stuck having to hunt with no sleep if want to get enough food…" He said as he grabbed four turnips and 5 crowns and ran towards the smithery where the smith was still working with metal. Issan was sharpening Damien's sword, and knives." Issan, are my knives and sword done yet?" He asked as Issan nodded." Your knives are repaired, and sharpened, and your sword, as you can see, I'm putting a wedge on as we speak." Issan said as he held Damien's sword against the spinning grind stone. Damien grabbed his knives and waited a while for his sword to finish. After about thirty minutes Issan sighed. "Damien, why do you use knives to hunt instead of a bow?" Issan asked and Damien responded by taking off his boot and sock, revealing a scar on his foot. "I shot myself in the foot with a bow while I was hunting. It kind of made me very hesitant to use a bow, but I am a good knife throw." Damien said shrugging as Issan sighed. "You are a special kind of stupid Damien, but that's why you and Maxwell get along, he is intelligent for growing up here and you, you're just an idiot, even for here!" Issan said as Damien got annoyed and hit him on the head with his turnips. "Just take the pay; I'll have the butcher hold the meat for you after I get back." Damien said as he put his knives in there holders and his sword in its scabbard and left.

Damien saw Maxwell waiting outside his door with his bow and quiver. "Seems my conclusion was correct, you're hunting, again." Maxwell said as Damien nodded. Yeah, I have to catch a lot of game for my mother and sell half of it to the butcher for the permission of participating in the tournament at Terim." Damien said as Maxwell nodded. "I figured as much, well let's not waist time, lets catch a lot of game!" Maxwell said as he ran toward the north gate, into the forest.

The two boys were tracking a deer through the forest when the heard a howl." That's not good" Damien said as Maxwell nodded and notched an arrow while Damien drew his sword." Let's make camp here." Maxwell said as Damien nodded and Damien took his sword and chopped off a limb off a dead tree. He snapped the tree limb and also cut where he could not snap and set it in a TP like shape and grabbed some dead leaves and put them at the base. Maxwell ignited the fire with his flint and steel and they sat back to back to make sure no wolves or coyotes were trying to surround them. "So Maxwell how's the trip so far?" Damien asked as Maxwell responded "Dog god awful. "He said as Damien chuckled and he saw a small shape. After a moment he realized it was a rabbit and he pulled out his knife, aimed, and threw it. The knife skewered the rabbit and Damien ran to grab it, leaving his sword.

When he grabbed it a wolf jumped at him and Damien ducked and drew one of his throwing knives and stabbed it in the gut as it jumped over him and gave the wolf a bad gash and the wolf landed with a thump next to max well, who I snow firing arrows every time he sees a wolf. Damien grabbed his sword and snapped the rabbit's neck to keep it from screaming in pain any longer. The wolves came at once. Damien had to slash and stab and throw knives to keep Maxwell, who is shooting the wolves, from getting hurt and letting Damien getting surrounded. A larger wolf tackled Damien to the ground and Damien used his hands to keep the beasts snapping jaws away from him." Damien!" Maxwell yelled and shot the wolf. Maxwell ran out of arrows so he pulled out his dirk and when a wolf lunged at him, he would side step and stab the wolf in the back of the neck. Damien stood up and noticed the last couple wolves were retreating." Well that was fun, huh Maxwell?" Damien said as Maxwell sighed." Well we made are quota." Maxwell said as he counted 5 dead wolves and went to retrieve his arrows and Damien went to retrieve his knives. Damien gutted and skinned the rabbit and stuck it on a stick so it would cook for them. After they ate they took turns keeping watch for more wolves.

The two came home 2 days later with the 5 wolves, and a buck in tow. Damien had suffered a small dash on his leg on the way back so he was limping and Maxwell was perfectly fine and cheery." Dam you Maxwell… That hunting trip hated me…" Damien said as Maxwell laughed. Maxwell saw Damien's Father and said" Hey Mr. Checker!" Maxwell said as Damien's father waved then saw their catch and sighed" Guess its wild dog stew for a while, though, wolf hides are worth a good bit in Terim." Damien nodded. "That's correct, and you too can go move that. I'm going to limb home so mother can try her hand at patching my leg up." Damien said as he walked towards his house.  
When he final got home his mother saw his leg and sighed. "You will live. So how was the haul Damien? "His mother asked as Damien yawned and replied" we got one buck, and cleaned out the wolf problem a decent bit." Damien said as his mother turned pale. "You hunted wolves! Why, arte you insane, you could have been killed!" She said and Damien responds. "Technically, they hunted us. We also had a few rabbits, but we cooked one, and the other got jacked by a coyote in the night. "Damien said as he stood up and stretched and smiled." So I'll be going to the Terim in 3 days right?" Damien asked and his mother sighed and nodded" That's right Damien." She said as he nodded. "Thank you Mother!" Damien said as he ran out the house, towards the butcher shop where his father and Maxwell should be.

He arrives there in about 10 minutes and his father and Maxwell are debating what shares go where. "With all due respect, Homer, I think it should be split up in thirds, a third for your family, a third mine, and a third to sell to the butcher, the pelts will be yours of course." Maxwell said as Damien's father shook his head. "No, if what you said is true, and you shot the wolf that would have killed Damien, then you can have all the wolf meat, and we will split the money from the pelts evenly, and ill split the deer with the butcher. " Damien's father said as Damien sighed. "Maxwell, accept the offer dang it. You saved my life, so just shut up and accept it." Damien said and Maxwell sighed. "You are very suave my friend." He said sarcastically and Damien laughed. "Hey, people say I can charm the fire from a dragon! Wait… that's not a compliment, is it?" Damien said and Maxwell started laughing. "No, that's far from a complement." Maxwell said and smiled. "Fine, I'll accept the deal" Maxwell said and Damien's father, homer, nodded. "Good, you can also come with us to Teirm, Maxwell." Damien's father said and Maxwell nodded. "Sure, besides, there's someone I want to introduce to Damien." Maxwell said as he glanced at Damien and grinned slightly and Damien paled and he thought_, I pray it's not like last time…His cousin still scares me_. "So let's go sell the half the buck." Damien said, wanting to change the subject and to try to suppress his experience with Janus. Homer nodded. "Aye and Damien," His father said." Help Maxwell with the sled carrying your haul, you killed them, you move them, and making an old man move that is heartless!" his father joked as he handed Damien a rope and sighed. "Okay, I will." Damien said sighing as Maxwell and him began to pull the sled the rest of the way to the butchers.

When they got to the butcher, the butcher looked at the haul and blinked." Either, you're lucky to be alive, or your sheer stupidity saved you." The butcher said as Damien bit his tongue to keep from making the butcher angry, and making him make the prices rise, and the selling of half the buck bring less money. "So Howard, we need you to prepare the wolves and deer, but, if we may take these in the back, we can skin them and such so we can save you that much work." Maxwell said and Damien glared at his friend and thought, _Really Maxwell?_ Howard the butcher thought about it and nodded. "Fine, just use my knives not yours, Damien." He said as Damien noticed during his hunting trip, his knives got a caking of mud. "Understood." Damien said as he took off his knife holder and put it on a table behind the counter, and the butcher gestured for them to follow.

The butcher led them to the area he uses to skin and gut animals. "Here, tell me when there done, and I'll make you pay half the price sense you're doing the difficult job." The butcher said as he left the two, they began to gut and skin the animals.

After a while they finished gutting the animals and sighed. "Maxwell… I had plans to help my father at the store, then nap today, not skin and gut wolves and a deer." Damien said annoyed at his friend who smiled and laughed lightly. "Yeah well now the meat will cost significantly less to have prepared." Maxwell explained to Damien who shrugged it off. "Still a pain." Damien said as he stood up and went back to the main area of the butcher shop. The butcher was asleep in a chair and Damien, got aggravated at the man's laziness, even though Damien himself loved a good nap every once in a while. "Howard!" Damien said loud enough to cause the butcher to jump awake and grabs his cleaver. "Darn it Damien! You scared the daylights out of me!" Howard the butcher said as he put his cleaver down on the counter. " The wolves and the buck is skinned, so now it's your turn to chop them up and salt, smoke, or dry them, whatever makes them last longer." Damien said as Maxwell entered the area as well. Upon entering the area, Maxwell slipped on the blood on the bottom of his boots. "Damien how have you not slipped yet?" Maxwell asked and he shrugged. "Good balance?" At this the butcher sighed. "I'll have the meat prepared for you tomorrow; so get out." The butcher said as he pointed to the door. Damien and Maxwell complied and left the butcher shop. Damien ended up going back in to grab his knives and when he left the butchers shop again, Maxwell laughed at him. "Damien my friend, you would youse your head if it was not on your shoulders!" Maxwell said and Damien retorted. "And you Maxwell might lose your life if you smarted off to the wrong person." At this Maxwell sighed. "You really need to take a joke…" Maxwell said and Damien responded. "I don't like bloody comedians." Damien said as he started laughing a Maxwell sighed. "Hypocrite." Maxwell said and Damien sighed. "Well I'm going to head out. Good bye." Damien said as he turned and walk towards his house. _Little did Damien know, this time in 2 weeks, this chapter of his life would end, and a new chapter will begin._

**(Remember when I said no more narrators? I lied; I think I'll add these little cryptic narrator moments at random times in the book…err fanfiction?)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Three days after the hunting trip, Damien, His father homer, and Maxwell were packing there things for the trip to Terim. Damien was packing his knives, sword, and a small buckler his father had from when he served in the army, prior to Galbatorixs demise. Maxwell was packing some wolf pelts that they would be selling, and every single arrow he could find in his house. Homer, Damien's father, was searching all over for his cloak. "Damien, do you know I put my Buck skin cloak?" He yelled out and Damien responded. "Check to see if Mother put it on the drying wire!" Damien yelled back and Maxwell put his quiver on his shoulder. Maxwell sighed as he saw Homer find the buck skin cloak. "I see where you get your habit of forgetting about things, Damien." Maxwell said as Damien nodded. "Yes, it's a family curse, all the men lose everything." Damien said sarcastically and Maxwell nods. "Maybe a priest in Terim can help!" Maxwell said as Damien lightly hit Maxwell's head. "You're a serious idiot, my dear friend." Damien said and Maxwell grinned. "Of course I am! Someone has to be a contrast to your, grumpy brooding!" Maxwell responded and Damien sighed. After 30 minutes they we're full packed and they rode off north towards Terim.

They reached Terim well into the night. They grew tired from there walk Maxwell, whose energy seemed limitless, ran ahead to find an inn while Homer dozed off leaning against a wall. While Maxwell was a way a group of people walked up to Damien and surrounded him. "Well, look at what we have here boys, we got a farm boy coming to sell pelts." The first one said as he saw the wolf pelts. "Yeah, so what's it to you, you walking pile of Urgal scat!" Damien snapped at the group. The first boy snickered then punched Damien in the stomach and reached for the pelts. Damien pulled out one of his throwing knives and held it to the first man's throat. "I would not do that if I were you, Urgal scat." Damien said as the group paled and ran off and the first guy turned and yelled. "I'll kill you Country boy!" Damien, being the nice guy he is, responded by throwing a knife and it hit the wall an inch away from his face. "Oh, I'm shacking in my boots!" Damien said as he went and retrieved his knife.  
By the time Maxwell got back, Damien was yawning and Maxwell was now sort of drowsy. "Damien, homer, follow me." Maxwell said as Damien nodded and woke up his father and Damien carried his and his father's bags.

They reached inn in about 10 minutes of walking and Damien paid for the room. When all three got in the room and shut the door, homer walked to the bed and passed out, Damien passed out on the floor, and Maxwell fell asleep in a chair. The next morning, they woke up when a parade was going down the street. Damien got his sword and knives and ran outside to watch. As the parade marched he saw Eleven Flute players, dwarves beating on drums, Urgal blowing into what looked like huge hollow horns, and in the sky, was a huge green dragon, soaring overhead. The dragon did maneuvers and breathed fire as it spun and rose, coating it in flames that were a greenish red. "Whoa… That's amazing…." Damien said as a person beside him spoke. "I can agree." The voice said and Damien turned and saw it was none other, then Maxwell. "Dragons are amazing. Being able to fly anywhere, feared by all the races, scales that are unbreakable almost, it's almost a shame that some dragons are forced to be bonded with us weak creatures." Damien said as Maxwell nodded. "Yeah, it is astounding." Maxwell spoke as the two boys fell silent as they watched the parade.  
At the end of the parade, a woman carrying 3 different eggs, one egg is pitch black, but almost released a dark light from it. The one next to the black egg was a Deep purple in color, and the final one was a bronze color, it almost looked like actual metal. At this moment Damien knew there was another reason, deep down in his heart on why he was determined to win in this tournament. He wanted to become a rider.

After the parade was over, the Mayor of the city stood and proclaimed. "All who wish to enter the tournament please step forward and sign your name upon this board." He said and thousands of humans, elves, dwarves, and even an Urgal stood forward. Damien Stepped forward as well. When he could sign his name, he noticed a name that made him fear for who he would face. The name was: Maxwell Ontarian.

Damien signed the board and then walked back to the crowd. After the announcement The Rider Arya and her dragon, Firnen, offered small children rides in the skies. While the mini-festival was held, Damien and Maxwell were selling the wolf pelts. "Seems like you and I will be opponents probably huh?" Damien asked as Maxwell sold one of the pelts and Maxwell nodded. "Yeah, I figure it would be interesting, you know, you and me fighting, and there's something I forgot to tell you about the Tournament." Maxwell said and Damien gave him a puzzled look. "Explain." Damien said and Maxwell simply said. "There is a tag team area; if you entered you would most likely end up with a random person who will kill you for the chance of being a rider." Maxwell said and Damien nodded. "Okay, it makes sense." Damien said and Maxwell nods. "Yep, but I need a sword, and so do you." Maxwell said as he gestured to the sword he affectionately calls 'The Metal Stick'. "Okay, I can agree, this old thing won't last if I trade blows with an Urgal will it?" Damien said as he drew his sword and noticed a crack along the length of the blade and said. "How the heck did this not break when we fought the wolves?" Damien asked and Maxwell shrugged. "Who knows, maybe that's when it cracked?" Maxwell said as he sold the last pelt. "So let's go buy some swords." Maxwell said and Damien sighed. "Sure, let's go." Damien said as Maxwell ran off to find a sword store.

When the duo got to a shop called "Dragons breathe arms and armor" Maxwell ran in and Damien sighed and thought _I get the feeling this is one of those cheap gimmick sword shops that sell "antique" rider swords..._ Damien Reluctantly entered the store and saw there were a number of swords that seemed of decent quality. Damien looked around and picked up a Falchion that seemed nice. The Falchion had a black leather grip, and the tip on the dull edge dipped down and made at the other tip about six inches away from the beginning of the curve. The pommel has a dragons head on it and the cross guard is angle in to a V shape to assist in trapping the blades so they can dis arm the opponent easier. He swung the sword a bit in the air then thrusted with it at an imaginary opponent. "Not a bad blade." Damien said and then he heard Maxwell. "Hey Damien, Look at this!" Maxwell said as he held a huge great sword. "First off, that's a huge sword. Secondly, you can't swing that very well, I recommend this." He said as he pulled out a cutlass with a bland handguard. "You two need any assistance choosing a weapon?" an old man said as he took the cutlass from Maxwell. The old man had snow white hair, a semi long beard that was a light gray, and he had wrinkles all over his face, though his eyes were that of a young man, not an old one. "Nice blade indeed, perfect for a ship, but, I take it, judging from the bow and quiver on our back, an archer right, Mr.?" The man asked and Maxwell responded "Maxwell. Maxwell Ontarian and this is my pal, Damien Gregus," Maxwell said as the man nodded. "Well Maxwell, I recommend this over a cutlass." The man said handing Maxwell a buckler and a short sword about two and a half feet long, the grip and the pommel were made of a dragon's neck and a head at the pommel, and the blade looked as if it was the dragon's tale. "Um, got anything, less flashy? We are sort of broke." Damien said as Maxwell agreed and the man handed him a plainer sword that weighed the same, and was the same size. This sword has a typical cross guard and the pommel was run of the mill as well.

The older man turned to Damien and saw he had a falchion in his hands. "Nice choice, I honestly like Falchions myself, but maybe a long sword would be better." He said as Damien gave him a puzzled look. "Why is that?" Damien asked as the old man took the sword from Damien and held it out. "The Falchion ways the same as a typical hand axe. As you know, axes are fairly heavy for a weapon and as such most people grab closer to the Axe head so they can maneuver it, and swing it easier, while with swords there usually light weight and easy to maneuver, for one handed swords I mean, but a Falchion is difficult to wield because of its weight and the shape." The old man said as Damien nodded. "True, it is heavier than my current sword, though it is old and badly made." Damien said as he took the falchion back and set it down. "So any advice for the sword I should wield?" Damien said as the man scratched his beard. "Let me see your current sword." He said, and Damien handed him his sword. The man examined it and nodded. "This is a Hand and a half sword, looks human make, low grade steel, extremely old, and badly crafted." The man said and Damien nodded. "Yeah, I had to have it fixed dozens of times." Damien said pointing to the small areas on the sword where the metal appeared to be fused together. "Well this might server you better." The old man said as he pulled out a Hand and a half sword with a guard that's V shaped like the Falchion's, but it's very plain, normal straight blade, normal leather wrapping on the hilt, only difference was the blade was slightly longer than his sword, by about four inches. Damien took the sword and when he held it, it weighed the same as his old sword. "Notice how there is a groove on this sword, and not on your old one? That's a fuller; the fuller serves the purpose of keeping the blade strong, and also light weight." The old man said and Damien nodded. "Okay I think I'll take it, with my buckler, it should be a decent set." Damien said as the old man nodded. "You're entering the tournament? You want to become riders?' The old man said as they shook their heads. "No, were not, it's just so we can help keep my family store, he sin it because there's a 2 on 2 competition and Maxwell is the only one I trust enough to keep me alive." Damien half lied and the old man nodded. "If that is so, I just sold a huge battle axe to an Urgal who came in saying he was going to participate and his dragon would be stronger then flame tongue and fire sword, which the blazes are they in the first place!" The old man said as Maxwell and Damien shrugged. "Don't know, I'm assuming is Eragon Shade-slayer and Saphira Brightscales." Damien said and Maxwell nodded. "Probably, there are rumors his sword ignited when he spoke its name." The old man said and then shrugged. "Anyway, if you buy a shield, I'll cut you a deal." The old man said and Damien shrugged. "Sure, I doubt my buckler would fend off an Urgal swinging a dagger, let alone a battle axe." Damien said as he browsed the shields.

After thirty Minutes Damien held up a medium sized square shield that extended about half of a foot passed his fist and elbow when he put it on and a full above and below his arm. "How much is this?" Damien asked and the old man yawned. "Twenty five Crowns and a hundred with everything, and with the discount, it is seventy-nine crowns." Damien counted his coins and saw he had a total of one hundred and thirty crowns and gave him the full seventy five crowns and Maxwell and he left the shop, heading to town square, seeing as it was almost noon, they hurried to see if they would announced the location the tournament would be.


	4. Annoncement

**Wont have this weekes chapter up, due to issues, mainly, tests -_- ill try to have it up in a day or two. sorry**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Damien and Maxwell got to the center of town and looked at the board they wrote their names. It instructed them to go to the forest outside Terim for the qualifiers. Damien and Maxwell did as they were instructed and with a yawn, they exited the city and saw hundred people armed and had armor ranging from leather armor, all the way to plate armor. Damien swore. "Maxwell, we forgot to by armor!" Damien said as Maxwell paled. "Give me the money, and I'll buy us some leather armor!" Damien said as his father sighed. "Good thing I bought these then." He said handing each a set of leather armor, and a Chain mail chest plate to go over the leather. " Not the best quality, but I spent my savings on them, I hope one of you to win, cause then one can pay for their armor, the other works for me till I die!" Damien's father said as Maxwell smiled. "Yes dad." Damien said.

The announcer yelled to get their attention. "Greetings, people of Terim, and contestants! We are here for a Tournament to see who can claim to be the Champion of Terim, and also, one to see who gets a Chance of becoming g a dragon rider!" at this this the crowd lost it and started yelling in excitement and the mayor yelled to silence them. "Now, everyone who makes it to the finals, that's only 10 of you, will have a chance to become a rider, in the order you placed. In order to get exact placings, after the first wave of contestants loose, the winners will battle against each other, and there is one extra. The extra one skips the second wave of five, and when the 2 winners of the 5 compete, the loser of the two, will battle the extra, then the extra will battle the winner of the two if he wins. But that's the finals! Now is the qualifier! It's a Duo match free for all! You may select your partner, and once you do, I will explain the rules in more Depth then."

The announcer said and everyone started talking. After about 10 minutes every one had a partner. "Okay!" The announcer said." The rule is simple; you will be given a flag that hangs on one of your backs. There are 5 different flags, and you must find its matching color, and then take it safely back to the center of Terim! The colors are Blue, Gold, Black, Purple, and Bronze." The announcer said and every one nods." The Total area is the 40 square mile areas surrounding the city on the land side. As you can tell, there is a small fence around the area. In this area are monsters that will possibly kill you, because of this anyone who attacks another participant is disqualified, and thrown in jail. Only those of the same color can attack one another and only if it's a fight for the flag." The announcer said and every one nodded again." The Fence has wards that will only let those with the flags pass until all 10 flags are passed. Now, go to the Flag distributer and then everyone needs to enter the area when I blow this horn. The different areas to be wary of is a Lake, forest, Swamp, and a small Plains area. The Riders that are here and a few elven magicians changed the land here with spells and a certain word will return it back to the way it was. You have 3 days to find, and return with your flag." The announcer spoke and the group below roars in response.  
Damien looked around while the announcer began to formally introduce all the ambassadors. He saw elves, Dwarves, humans, and shockingly five Urgals!

Damien paled at seeing them, praying all of those Urgal were given the same color. While Damien was lost in a train of thought, well more like train of fear, Maxwell flicked his ear. "Hello, anybody home?" Maxwell asked as he knocked on Damien's head. Damien turned to him. "What did I miss?" He asked as Maxwell field him in, and they left to get there flag. The duo was given the blue flag, the flag that had a hammer and a sword on it. "Hmm, I think it represents Duke Strong hammer, and his cousin, Head Rider Eragon." Maxwell said, and noted the other flags had similar ones, but different. Red flags had A Sword and a dragon on it, in chains, representing the chained rider, Murtagh, and his Dragon Thorn. The Gold had a bandaged sword, representing Glaedr and Oromis. The last three had seeds on them, marking the possible birth of the dragons.

Once all the teams had the flag, The Announcer began to speak "Now, Each of the Flags will enter one at a time." He spoke, and pulled out a list. "Enter, Gold." He spoke as a number of people ran into the area that had the flags. "Next, Enter the Blue." He spoke as all the blue ran to enter the area. As Damien and Maxwell ran, they noticed in the blue, no Urgals were present. Damien sighed with relief, thankful he escapes the fate of fighting one of them.

Maxwell and Damien Entered a Swampy area that was not appealing. As they navigated it, they learned the hard way, there is more than monsters. Damien saw Snakes, Alligators, and other swamp dwelling creatures. Maxwell and Damien Scoured the swamp for hours, and when night began to fall, they started to speed up, to get into the Forest or plains area, where they will be safe from the, more deadly wildlife. "Hey, Damien, I just realized something." Maxwell said as they ran. "What?" Damien responded and Maxwell said "If there are alligators, does that mean there are wolves, and deer?" Maxwell said as Damien stopped and sighed. "Probably, let's camp here, I can barely see." Damien said and Maxwell nodded and began to look for some sticks. Damien grabbed a knife and searched for any animals.

After an hour, Damien came back with a pretty large snake with hits head cut off. "Want to try swamp sna-" Damien stopped when he saw a a dwarf, a human, and 2 elves sitting beside Maxwell chatting.

The Dwarf was slightly taller than most dwarves, and had a brown beard, yet red hair, and smelled of a brewery. He wore a set of dwarven chain mail with a leather chest plate over it with a leather strap, holding a dwarven battle axe on his back. The elves looked very similar to each other, the one on the left, appeared to be female, and had blonde hair. She wore a set of forest green leather armor, and a pair of elvish knives at her waist, with the gold flag. Her eyes were the same brown as the trees around them. The elf beside her, looked almost identical, but, was clearly male. The human wore a set of leather hunting clothes, a bow strung on the ground beside him, and a short sword at his waist. Damien just sighed. "I'm going to need a bigger snake…" he said as Maxwell grinned. "Don't worry, there the other colors, no blues" Maxwell said as Damien tossed the snake to him and a female elf, who bared the golden flag looked up and spoke. "Hello, you must be Damien. It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Nlaea. The elf beside me is my broth-" Before she could finish the elf beside her interrupted. "I am perfectly capable of introducing myself, Sister." The elf said as he looked at Damien and began to speak. "My name is Elred. Maxwell told us about you-"before he could finish, a knife went through the air and hit another snake in the base of the skull. "I have dinner." Damien said as he cut off the snakes head, and then began to skin them. "Well, that was odd indeed." The human said as he scratched his head, he had the red flag. "Well my name is Alexander, this dwarf who smells like a brewery, is my friend, Balin." Alexander said and the dwarf Balin, nodded. "So any ways, were all introduced, to each other, so when can we eat?" Alexander asked and Maxwell answered. "The elves, whenever they wish to find some plants for them, for us, whenever Damien gets done cooking snake." Maxwell said and Alexander and Balin groaned.  
While Damien cooked dinner, the group started talking and telling each other funny stories about their child hoods, or past for Balin and the elves. "So Before I was banished from Farthen Dur, The Feldunost, Type of mountain goat," Balin said, noticing the confused look on Maxwell and Damien's faces. "Any way, we rode on them and my old friend, Bakgar rode on one for the first time. As he got on it, I tossed a rock at its flank. The Feldunost started bucking and kicking and when he fell off, he landed in a thorn bush!" At this entire group laughed, Damien sighed. "That's mean, Balin." Damien said as he took a snake off a spit, and cut the flesh in to equal strips for everyone, except the elves, who were eating some fruit they brought. "How do elves live like that, its unnatural?" Balin muttered as he was handed a strip of snake, and Elred responded. "For you maybe, dwarf, but when you get bigger, you will understand, oh wait, you're already an adult!" He joked and the dwarf became angry and drew out his axe. "Want to go, yo-" before he could finish, Alexander grabbed his ear, and drug him away from the elf. "Alexander, you're traitor!" Balin said annoyed and every one, except Balin, laughed.

They fell asleep a few hours later, thinking it would be a rest full night.

**I'm so sorry this is late, I have been busy and had a small bit of writers block.**


	6. Update annoncement

_**I will not update weekly any more, ill try to up date it every to weeks, cuase i have testing, and slight writers block. sorry, about this.**_


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter 5.  
They woke up to the sound of a scream. Damien Jumped up, a knife in one hand, and his sword, drawn in the other, Maxwell and Alexander had arrows notched, the elves had there knives drawn, and the dwarf, he was fumbling trying to find his axe. "What the blazes was that?" Alexander asked and Nlaea shrugged "Worst case scenario, Banshee, best case, someone was torn apart by wolves." Maxwell paled at what the elf said. "H-How is that best case scenario!" and Elred responded. "Cause, if its wolves, we can kill them, banshees? Let's just slit are throats now!" Alexander then asked the question on every one, but the elves mind. "Well, what in the world is a banshee?" Nlaea responded coldly. "The soul of a woman who died, and now seeks revenge, those who hear her scream, will die. That's the simplified version, anyways." Maxwell blinked then asked. "Why the hell would they put Banshees in a test?"

Damien shuddered and then looked around. "Where is Balin?" he asked and the group looked around. "I think he went to relive himself while we were talking." Alexander said and at this Balin yelled, "Damn it! Who the hell put up snares?" When Alexander heard this he ran towards Balin's voice, and the others followed, to find Balin suspended 7 foot off the ground, by a rope around his foot, swearing like a sailor and Alexander was trying to climb up a nearby tree, so he could cut the rope. "Why are you up there? Did you want to feel tall?" Elred mocked and Balin glares. "I pray you get the flag, so I have the privilege to kick your ass!" Balin says as he gets up standing and grabs his axe of the ground, and puts it away. "It appears that the sun is rising." Nlaea said as she pointed at the sky that, through some of the trees, appears to be getting faintly lighter. "Good to know, but where would the flags be?" Balin said and Elred replied. "Hmm, The Green and possibly blue flag may be in the forest, sense Queen Arya, is an elf, and she sent Saphira's egg to the forest," Elred said, but was interrupted by Nlaea. "And The Red flag may be in Terim's upper district because; Murtagh was raised in an estate of one of his father, Morzan. The Gold flag is either in the plains has to be…"  
Alexander nods and grins. "Then let's go our separate ways, that way we can find are own flags, and meet up during the next stage!" Alexander said and Balin nodded. "Don't need to tell me twice!" He said as he turned and walked off heading north, hoping to find the plains and alexander sighs. "Goodbye friends! I wish you the best of luck!" Alexander turned and jogged after Balin.  
"So, Nlaea, Elred, shall we travel together sense are flags may be in the same area?" Maxwell asked and Nlaea nodded. "It would be beneficial, 2 extra sets of eyes for either flag is handy, what do you think, brother?" She asked Elred who sighed "Fine." He said and he rubbed the tips of his ears. "Okay, well let's head out!" Maxwell said before he turned and began to walk east, hoping to find the flags. Damien and the elves followed.

Damien sighed after walking a while then had a devious idea. "Hey Nlaea, Elred, can you guys use magic?" Elred and Nlaea looked at each other and nodded. "Yes, we are elves, of course we would, why?" Damien grinned and Maxwell paled. "Dear god... I don't like that look, that look is never good." Damien glared at Maxwell. "Calm down, it's a good idea!" he said and looked back at the Elves. "Can you two Scry the location Flags?" Elred shrugged "Possibly, but there is one issue, we would see where they are, but how to get there is another matter entirely." Damien grins. "Trust me, that's just fine." He said and Elred opens his bag and looks for a mirror, or anything reflective. To his disdain, he and Nlaea find nothing. "Sorry Damien, Tis a good idea, but we have nothing to use." Elred said and Damien sighs. "Well worth a shot." Damien Says as he continues to walk.

A couple hours, Damien and Maxwell managed to convince the elves to take a break. Maxwell looked through his knapsack, grabbed a canteen, and took a drink. "You guys need to remember, were humans, not elves!" Damien said panting and Maxwell nodded and Elred smiles "Sorry, usually we don't travel with humans." He said and Damien, sighed and Maxwell scratched his arm. "This is a pain…" Maxwell said and stood up. "Did you hear that?" Damien looked at Maxwell blinking. "Hear what, the sound of you losing your mind? It's dead silent, well, besides us." Elred listens and grins. "Seems there's a river, and Maxwell, how did you hear it, it's extremely quiet?" and Maxwell shrugs. "I don't know, good hearing?" and Nlaea nods. "Very good hear indeed." She said nodding and looked to her right. "The river is over there, let's go." Nlaea said and began to walk briskly with Elred in tow, Damien, and Maxwell Running to keep up. After 10 minutes of walking, well, running for Damien and Maxwell they reach the river. Elred cupped some water in his hand and he Spoke in the elven language and saw the blue flag. It appeared to be in the bottom of a lake. Damien and Maxwell sighed. "Hope you can swim max, if not, well then were not gonna win." Damien said sighing. "Any idea how deep it is?" Maxwell said and Elred shrugged "No I do not, Maxwell." Damien scratched his head thinking. "Well, we don't know exactly where it is and it was at the bottom of some lake, so, can't we, you know, use some sort of, Elf magic levitation thing?" he asked and Nlaea thought a moment before responding. "Yes, but I think that you and Maxwell should retrieve it yourself; we helped you more than enough, it is YOUR flag after all." She said and Damien nodded. "Okay, that makes sense, so Maxwell and I will look for the lake, get the flag, then meet you in Terim, okay?" Elred nodded. "That sounds fine to me." He said before saying goodbye to the duo, and leaving, as Nlaea follows him.

After a while, the Duo Finally found a lake at about midday. "Okay, so The Flag should be here, now to find where. I doubt it's going to be extremely deep, then again, there is magic. But that would be an advantage to elves, so it's got to be somewhere, relatively shallow…." Maxwell aid before droning on for 5 minute's about where it might be before Damien snapped his fingers next to his ear. "Max, You Zonked out again all I got was, its most likely gonna be at least, a few hundred yards off shore." Maxwell nodded sheepishly. "Maybe we can float on a log for a few hundred feet, and then I could dive down and grab it, while you man the Log?" Damien sighed at the idea. "And if I fall, I'm dead, right?" he said before grinning at Maxwell who shrugged. "Eh, I'll try to save your ass, that is, if I don't drown first." He said grinning right back. Damien and Maxwell began search the shore for a log until they found a tree that a beaver had almost chew threw. By this time it was well into the evening, but before dusk "So, wanna knock it down, and use that?" Damien asked, but went behind the tree and began to tackle it, repeatedly, to make it fall. "That is if we can, we still have a decent amount of wood to get through, and no one has an ax, got any idea besides hitting it with your shoulder?" Maxwell said and Damien sighed. "I really am an idiot." He said, before drawing his sword, then swinging it at the area the beaver had chewed partially threw. "Damien, That's not much better, but beats breaking your shoulder…" Maxwell muttered ` where Damien could not hear him as Damien swung his sword, repeatedly at the tree. The Duo took turns and after what felt like eternity, but wa actually about an hour, of choping between the both of them. They were left with one log, and a dull sword. Damen swore under his breath and sheathed it. "Well, at least we got this, now if we can get this in the water, we can go to where you think it is.." and with that, the broke off the smaller branches and mad ea small camp fire, and took some of the cooked meat they had in there bag from the following evening, and ate a dinner consisting of Snake strips, and lake water.

After dinner Damien sighed and lied on the ground and looked at sun set. "Maxwell, you know, what would you do if you became a rider, and I did not?" Damien asked and Maxwell scratched his head. ' hmm Probably Tease you for being dragnless, then break evey single rule so you could touch every egg until you got a Dragon, so I would not Live to see you fie of old age, while I am still well, in appearance, barely a man." he said and Damien nodded. " Interesting." he said and nodded. " Well ya know, I wuld probably do the same, but, I would prank you though. Make your beer explode in your face, Surround your house in vines, you know, Pranks you could see a mischievous magician doing." he said with a slight grin and maxwell shuddered. ' okay, now I pray for the greater good of alegaisia, I pray you never hatch an egg now, I take back what I said, ill keep you away from the eggs." Maxwell joked and Damien shrugged. ' eh, like I want to be rider. I'm happy with my lot in life. To be a rider means ill need to have to deal with royalty, and eh I would rather be a foot solder then be immortal and deal with royalty while there's a giant dragon behind me...okay, sounds awesome, but probably either hellish, or boring." Damien said and Maxwell could not help but laugh at his friend. "True. Remember when that rider came into town when we were boys? And that weird Dance thing he did every morning? He said that's typical Rider training." and they both shuddered. The duo talked for hours, only noticing it was dark, when they heard a howl. Damien Took first watch, using Maxwell's sharpened short sword, sense his own blade was to dull to do anything because of the tree. In the morning, after they changed watches after 2 hour shifts, it was dawn and Maxwell woke Damien who stood up groggily. "Damien wake up you idiot." Maxwell said annoyed, and Damien stood up and yawned . "I'm up, I'm up..." eh said and yawned again. "Ready to get the flag?" Then Maxwell sighed. "No, I want to give it to the next person with a blue flag after we shopped down a tree and located it. Of course I am!" Maxwell said grouchy and Damien sighed. " Hey, I just did not know if you wanted to eat before or after the flag." he defended and Maxwell sighed. "true, sorry." Max said and he glanced at the Log, it was still where it fell. "Okay, Damien, lets go get that flag, so we can get in the actual Combat part." he said and Damien nodded and pushed the lg into the water after a few minutes of hassle. And so began the long track of locating the Flag along the coast of the lake.

**Hey guys! Im sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo sorry about the super long delay. i got anew laptop and i had to re type this and i had it already done, and i was to lazy and it took me awhile to get a half decent Writing thing. Im using Open office atm, fyi. So, Please, don't kill me, No flames, and for the love of pizza! No yelling a me hat i was to slow on the update!**


End file.
